It is generally known to provide a vehicle with a steering mechanism. It is generally known to provide a vehicle, such as a passenger vehicle, with a steering assembly that is operated by a steering wheel. For quite some time it has also been generally known to provide a vehicle with power assisted steering as well as electric power assisted steering. However, such electric power assisted steering (EPAS) have been limited to column-based systems for relatively small vehicles and relatively lowly rated front gross axle weights. Further, such generally known EPAS systems are only implemented in rack and pinion type steering architectures where an electric motor is directly driving a pinion on the gear rack. One known alternative to the above is a column-mounted EPAS where an electric motor directly drives the I-shaft or steering column. The column-mounted EPAS is a relatively very expensive solution, particularly in a vehicle architecture including a solid front axle and cab on frame design.
However, despite such power assisted steering system assemblies being known for quite some time, none have been successfully integrated into vehicles having a solid (or monobeam) front axle. In particular, the generally known power assisted steering system assemblies have not been successfully integrated into a vehicle having a significant gross axle weight rating (GAWR) being steered, such as a heavy duty pickup having a cab on frame architecture and including a solid front axle, because such generally known mechanisms are not currently commercially available and capable of proper operation in such applications. Accordingly, their long remains a significant need to develop an electronically controlled, power assisted steering system that can be used in a vehicle having a solid front axle and having a significant gross vehicle weight over the wheels being steered.